Apertured sheet plastic carriers for containers such as cans or bottles are known in the art. The earliest of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,835 wherein circular apertures were utilized in the carrying of circular cans. The margins of the apertures were stretched and deflected to engage beneath the can bead. Generally circular apertures, but having scalloped margins are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,535 for carrying bottles with the tabs between the scallops engaging beneath the rims or beads at the upper ends of the bottle necks. Non-circular apertures for use with cylindrical containers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,117. A narrower band of blank material can be used when apertures are elongated longitudinally of the blank band of material, and are stretched into circular configuration by mounting about cylindrical containers. Hence, there is less scrap.
A common feature of such prior art plastic carriers and the well-know resulting "six-pack" of carrier and containers has been that the plastic material at the margin of each aperture has been stretched and turned upwardly beneath the rim or bead at the top of a container. Release of a container from the carrier has been effected by pulling sideways on a desired container to stretch the material about the corresponding aperture, and then tipping the container out of the stretched encircling plastic.
A new type of container is now available, comprising a wide mouth plastic bottle having a foil and plastic lamination placed over the open mouth of the bottle, crimped about the top rim thereof, and heat sealed thereto. Prior art plastic carriers as outlined heretofore are not satisfactory for carrying such containers, as the stretched margins of the material of the carrier about each aperture would engage beneath the foil covering and peel it from the bottle.